I Didn't Think I Needed A Fiber Supplement — Now I Swear By This One

Working at mindbodygreen, I hear a lot about supplements. We've covered the latest research on everything from collagen to probiotics for years. And while fiber isn't the buzziest of supplements, I've heard plenty about how critical it is for good gut health and smooth digestion. Still, I figured I was getting enough on my own. I'm a vegetarian who eats beans almost daily, not to mention tons of leafy greens, so there's no way I needed a supplement. Or so I thought.

When I learned that 95% of Americans fail to get enough, I started to second-guess myself. I decided to take a closer look at my fiber intake.

I thought back to everything I'd eaten over the past three days and added up the fiber content of each food. A half-cup of oats offers 4 grams,1 the pear I ate for a snack delivered about 52, and a half-cup of chickpeas delivered another 6 grams3. But by the end of each day, my fiber count was barely making it out of the teens, when the National Academies4 recommends women my age eat a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day.

I started mixing the flavorless powder into my breakfast. I knew smoothies would be a safe bet, but I was pleasantly surprised at how seamlessly it stirred into yogurt and oatmeal too. I never detected a difference in flavor or texture.

I usually eat breakfast between 8 and 9 a.m. and opt for a midmorning snack before lunch (at 1 or 2 in the afternoon). But a few days into taking organic fiber+ with prebiotic support, the extra hit of fiber was suddenly powering me through the whole morning—sans snack. 

I later learned that soluble fiber (found in organic fiber+ with prebiotic support in the form of guar bean fiber) slows down the speed at which food moves through the intestines, helping to prolong how full you feel. It also supports some of the hormones involved in appetite regulation5.*

I eat intuitively and am not one to demonize a snack between meals. But truthfully, I'd rather add something to a meal to make it more filling than find myself in the kitchen again an hour later, dirtying more dishes and disrupting my workflow.